The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-06-04
the RUSH OF WATERS. :
Many Bridges Carried o6.--Wash-out
on the Railroad Damage Done.

under great banks of snow, throug
the deep canyons and narro,
gorges, torrents Of water have bee
flowing during the past week. Flo
several days past the weather ha
been unusually warm and the melt
ing of the snow was started in goot
earnest. Wood river and its tribu
taries, Trail creek and other stream
have been transformed into seeth
ing torrents as the maddene,
waters rush wildly onward on al
ever ceaseless course. Nothing lik,
it has been witnessed here since
the settlement of the town. and fol
a brief time grave apprehension
were felt that an immense amour,
of damage would be done. AS il
is number of bridges have beer
washed away and through Il break
on the line Of the railroad abou,
half mile this side of Gimlet com
lnunication by train has been sus-
pended. The first bridge to sue.
cumb to the rising waters was that
SPANNING DEER CREEK
Which gave way on Sunday.
Charles Nelson Of Haley, with his
wife and daughter. who were out
enjoying ride, passed over the
bridge shortly before it started and
was followed by man named
Donovan, driving a span of horses
attached to heavy wagon. The
weight of the team and wagon
proved too great a strain and the
bridge gave way leaving the horses
and driver struggling in the swift
flowing stream. Mr.. Donovan first
attempted to unhitch the animals,
but fonnd time too precious and
cut both loose in order To save his
own life and his horses. both of
which succeeded in getting out Of
the creek upon opposite banks.
On last Sunday the great amount
of drift wood coming down Trail
creek placed the county bridge ut
Gimlet station in imminent peril,
trees, great logs and railroad ties
had lodged against the upper side
of the bridge and the abutments at
this end were entirely washed away.
e. II. Chase, who fortunately was
on his road to Ketchum that day,
took in the situation mt once and
Immediately put number of men
to work, clearing away the drift
and building a matrass bulkhead
and then proceeded to town to re-
port the condition of the bridge to
Commissioner Gillette. Chains.
graphing. hooks and other needed
were quickly forwarded
and gang of men sent out with
Mr.. Chase tn save the structure il
possible. Travel over the bridge
was temporarily suspended, and by
WORKING DAY AND NIGHT
1t was saved from destruction. The
railroad bridge at the same point,
one of the best on the line, was i'm
no danger. On Tuesday morning
the water had cut away a consider
able portion of the railroad grade,
carrying the rails and ties down
The creek, the break hourly ex
as the encroaching waters
cut away the great bank of gravel
over which the line runs. On Wed
nesday noon the break was about
$50 feet in length. f. L. Olmstead,
Of bridges, visited the
scene of the break on Wednesday |
to examine into the extent of the
damage and later in the day Il
gang Of fifty laborers and a con-
struction train arrived to make re.
pairs.
The reports from West Fork,
Boyle Mountain and surrounding
country are all the same, water,
water everywhere" but unlike the
broad expanse that with parched
lips and burning thirst Enoch
Arden gazed upon, it was good to
lrink and plenty to go arouud.
Warm springs Greek is running
with overlooking banks and at the.
Guyer Hot Springs fine opportu-
nifty is offered to witness the stream
70 the best advantage. The grounds
back of the buildings are entirely
submerged and the foot bridge over
he stream under water. The river
there has more the appearance
OF A BROAD LAKE
And it is hard to realize that the
beautiful little stream. with its
sparkling water and treasures of
trout could have been
into such a swollen,
,urgid mass of water. On Tuesday
the scven-mile bridge on the GA
ena road was carried away and the
nail for points beyond is now con-
Keyed on horseback until the break
S repaired.
The railroad bridge between the
lepot and the Philadelphia smelt-
,rs narrowly escaped serious dam
,ge. The water Immediately
above takes a broad sweep, and the
swift current commenced to tear
tut the ground ut the abutment OH
he other side of the stream when